Tissue dispenser



Oct. 26, 1965 D. D. STARK 3,214,059

TISSUE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 21, 1963 F1 5'. .5 INVENTOR. 7M .DflkRl-Z D.5742K .Fl 5'. 4- Arron/er:

United States Patent 3,214,059 TISSUE DISPENSER Darrel D. Stark, 3005Colorado Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Aug. 21, 1963, Ser. No.303,610 6 Claims. (Cl. 221-46) This invention relates to a facial tissuedispenser, and more particularly to a simple and inexpensive dispenserdesigned to fit conveniently in most motor vehicles.

An apparatus made according to this invention holds a given box oftissue snugly to the roof of a motor vehicle directly above andimmediately to the rear of the windshield. The tissue dispenser is thusreadily available, and yet, it remains up and out-of-the-way.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple tissue dispenserfor motor vehicles which will have a convenient location, which can beeasily refilled and in stalled, and which can be easily andinexpensively manufactured.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper front portion of anautomobile showing a tissue dispenser made according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the tissue dispensershown in FIG. 1, before it is positioned in an automobile;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the tissue dispenser;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of an alternate mounting of the tissuedispenser; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a third mounting for theinvention.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and the numerals of reference thereon, anautomobile includes a roof and a ceiling 11, which are supported by aframe cross-member 12. A windshield 13 fits into a windshield sealingstrip 14 which is held in position by a molding 15. The rear view mirror16 is mounted in a conventional manner at the top of the windshield andit is fastened over a garnish molding 17.

A tissue dispenser illustrated generally at 18 is mounted adjacent theroof of the automobile and includes a frame 19 that is designed to holda conventional tissue box 23.

The frame 19 includes a bottom panel 20 having an oval shaped opening 21in center thereof; a pair of end panels 22, 22 which as shown areextensions of and integral with the bottom panel and are adapted to foldup around a box of tissues 23; and a pair of side flanges 24, 24 one oneach side of the tissue box. The frame material may be any materialwithin the choice of the person skilled in the art, for example,polypropylene.

The dispenser 18, also includes a mounting bracket 25, which holds thetissue box in the frame, and at the same time, holds the whole assemblysnugly against the ceiling of the automobile or other motor vehicle. Thebracket 25 can be made of any desired material with spring properties,for example, a steel or plastic. The bracket 25 is provided with acrimped portion 26, in the center portion thereof. Several small holes29 and notches 28 are provided at the front end of the bracket formounting purposes.

Typically, the tissue box is placed top down on the bottom panel 20 ofthe frame 19 so the provided opening 21 in the tissue box frame and theprovided opening in the tissue box, through which the tissues arenormally dispensed, are in alignment. The end panels 22, 22 are thenfolded up against the ends of the tissue box. The bracket 25 is theninserted through a slot 30 in a first end panel of frame 19. The slot 30is located such that when the end panel is folded up against the tissuebox, the

lower edge of the slot is substantially in the plane of the bottom panelof the tissue box. The bracket is then extended across the bottom panelof the tissue box, as shown in FIG. 2, and through a slot 32 provided inthe second end panel 22, the said slot 32 being in the same plane asslot 30 in the first end panel of frame 19. The bracket is extendedthrough the slots until the crimp 26 engages the front or first endpanel 22. An outer end portion 33 of bracket 25 extends beyond the rearend panel 22 of frame 18. This outer end portion 33 has a plurality ofshallow grooves 27 defined in the upper surface thereof to improve thefriction between the bracket and the surfaces of slot 32 and help toretain the end panel in the proper position on the bracket.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 25 can be held in place by removing amolding screw 31, which would usually hold the rear view mirror 16 inplace; inserting the screw throughone of the provided holes 29; andreplacing the screw. This will hold the bracket tightly against thecurved roof of the motor vehicle.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate method of mounting the bracket where the motorvehicle is equipped with a sunvisor attachment 36 which is used to holdthe visor in place when it is positioned across the windshield. First,screws 34, 34 are removed. Second, the bracket 25 is inserted betweenthe visor fixture 36 and the garnish molding 17 such that screws 34, 34are aligned with the notches 28. Third, the visor fixture and bracketare clamped down tight to the garnish molding by tightening the screws.

FIG. 5 shows a method of mounting when the rear view mirror is mountedon the dash rather than at the top of the windshield. In this case, thetwo screws 31 and 32 holding the garnish molding are loosened and thebracket 25 is inserted between the molding and the ceiling. The screwsare then tightened down which results in the bracket becoming securelyheld in position.

Once the bracket has been mounted it can be sprung downwardly from theceiling of the motor vehicle to permit installation of the frame andtissue box.

FIG. 1 shows how the bracket 25 bends to fit the contour of the ceiling11, and since the bracket was originally straight, forcing it to bend tothe contour of the ceiling causes its spring properties to clamp thewhole assembly tightly to the ceiling of the motor vehicle.

To replace an empty tissue box when the assembly is mounted, a personneed merely pull down the rear end panel 22, slide out the used tissuebox, slide in a new box, fold the end panel up, and reinsert the bracket25 through slot 32 in the end panel. The rear end panel folds down topermit insertion of tissues without removing the entire frame 19 frombracket 25. The fold at the front end panel permits the rear portion ofthe frame to be dropped down to simplify insertion of the tissue boxwithout sliding the frame olf the bracket.

It must now be clear that the invention achieves all of its intendedobjects and purposes. What is achieved is a device very simple innature, yet, a device with desirable features. It fits nicely into aportion of a car or other similar motor vehicle which has no otherapparent functional use. The dispenser is within easy reach. It would nolonger be necessary to go into the glove compartment or behind the visorfor tissues. Furthermore, this dispenser will hold a large box oftissues; but, when it does become necessary to replace an empty tissuebox, it is readily apparent that this dispenser can be refilled bothquickly and easily.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for tissues packaged within an outer box, said dispenserincluding a mounting bracket adapted to be mounted adjacent the roofportion of an automobile, and a frame for holding said tissue box, saidframe including a main panel adapted to be placed over the normal top ofsaid tissue box, said main panel having an opening defined therethrough,first and second frame and panels mounted to said main panel and adaptedto overlie the end panels of said tissue box, said end panels of saidframe extending outwardly beyond the back panel of said tissue box, eachof said end panels having a slot defined therethrough and being of sizeto receive said mounting bracket, said slots being positioned so saidmounting bracket is substantially contiguous to the back panel of saidtissue box when said bracket is positioned within both said slots.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 and stop means on saidbracket from preventing said first end panel from sliding onto saidbracket beyond a predetermined point.

3. The combination as specified in claim 2 wherein the outer end portionof said bracket has plurality of transverse grooves defined therein andbeing positioned to engage the surfaces defining said slot in saidsecond frame end panel to enhance the. frictional hold between saidbracket and the second frame end panel.

4. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said frame end panelsare integral with said main panel and are adapted to be folded upwardlyto position contiguous to opposite ends of said tissue box.

5. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said bracket is asubstantially flat strap of a resilient material and has means thereonfor fastening it adjacent top portions of a windshield of an automobile,said flat strap being of sutficient resilience to conform to the curvedtop of the automobile.

6. A dispenser for tissues or the like including a mounting bracketadapted to be mounted adjacent the roof portion of an automobile, and aframe for supporting a plurality of tissues, said frame including a mainpanel adapted to be placed over the front of the tissues, said mainpanel having an opening defined therethrough which is of size to permitremoval of tissues therethrough, first and second frame end panelshingedly mounted on said main panel and extend at substantially rightangles thereto and adapted to overlie the ends of the tissues on themain panel, said end panels of said frame extending outwardly beyond theopposite surface of the tissues from the surface facing the main panel,each of said end panels having a slot defined therethrough and being ofsize to receive said mounting bracket, said slot being positioned sosaid mounting bracket acts to overlie tissues in said frame when saidbracket extends through both said slots, the outer end portion of oneend of said bracket protruding a short distance beyond the slot of theend panel farthest from the point of attachment of said mounting bracketto the roof portion of an automobile.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,564,997 8/51Rome 248-311 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPENSER FOR TISSUES PACKAGED WITHIN AN OUTER BOX, SAID DISPENSER INCLUDING A MOUNTING BRACKET ADATPED TO BE MOUNTED ADJACENT THE ROOF PORTION OF AN AUTOMOBILE, AND A FRAME FOR HOLDING SAID TISSUE BOX, SAID FRAME INCLUDING A MAIN PANEL ADAPTED TO BE PLACED OVER THE NORMAL TOP OF SAID TISSUE BOX, SAID MAIN PANEL HAVING AN OPENING DEFINED THERETHROUGH, A FIRST AND SECOND FRAME AND PANELS MOUNTED TO SAID MAIN PANEL AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE END PANELS OF SAID TISSUE BOX, SAID END PANELS OF SAID FRAME EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE BACK PANEL OF SAID TISSUE BOX, EACH OF SAID END PANELS HAVING A SLOT DEFINED THERETHROUGH AND EBING OF A SIZE TO RECEIVE SAID MOUNTING BRACKET, SAID SLOTS BEING POSITIONED SO SAID MOUNTING BRACKET IS SUBSTANTIALLY CONTIGUOUS TO THE BACK PANEL OF SAID TISSUE BOX WHEN SAID BRACKET IS POSITIONED WITHIN BOTH SAID SLOTS. 